Brazil top court sends charge against Temer to Congress

A Brazilian Supreme Court justice sent a corruption charge against President Michel Temer to Congress on Wednesday, advancing the process under which the top leader could be removed from office to face trial for graft, Reuters reports.

The justice, Edson Fachin, rejected an argument made by Brazil’s top federal prosecutor that the Supreme Court should hear preliminary arguments on the charge and its merits for 15 days, before deciding whether to send it to the lower house of Congress.

Under Brazilian law, it is now up to the House of Deputies to decide whether to allow the Supreme Court to try Temer, who replaced impeached leftist President Dilma Rousseff last year.

Two-thirds of the lower house must vote against Temer for his trial to occur.

The president was charged this week with arranging to receive 38 million reais (US$11.55 million) in bribes from executives at JBS, the world’s largest meat processor.

Temer branded the charge a “fiction” in a nationally televised address on Tuesday.

The Brazilian leader has repeatedly said he is innocent of any wrongdoing and has rejected calls from the opposition to resign.

He is caught up in a three-year anti-graft push by investigators that has revealed stunning levels of corruption in Latin America’s largest country.

The schemes involve businesses paying billions of dollars in bribes to politicians and executives at state-run companies in return for winning contracts and various political favors.

Temer, one-third of his cabinet, four past presidents and dozens of lawmakers are either on trial, facing charges or under investigation for corruption. Over 90 people have been found guilty so far.

More corruption charges are expected to be made against Temer by Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot in the coming weeks.

Each of those charges will require a vote by the full lower house on whether or not the president should face trial.

A vote on the first charge against Temer is expected to take place in three to four weeks, according to Reuters.

Minority Muslims in the southern Philippines cast votes on Monday in a long-awaited referendum on autonomy, the culmination of a peace process to end decades of separatist conflict in a region plagued by poverty,...

Recent macro data from the leading economies point to a widespread slowdown. What is more concerning is not just a logical moderation in the path of growth, but acceleration in the weakening of economies...

Ever since he took office two years ago, US President Donald Trump has been vigorously promoting the “America First” policy theme. A key element in that political agenda is tightening the relatively loose immigration...

Tax systems that put a high burden on the poor mean public services are underfunded, stretching the gap between rich and poor and fueling global public anger, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of Oxfam International,...

Taiwan will step up its investigation of pro-Beijing newspapers accused by politicians on the self-ruled island of spreading fake news and surveillance activities that infringe national security, Reuters reports, citing a security official. Claimed...

The US Navy has not ruled out sending an aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait, despite military technology advances by China that pose a greater threat to US warships than ever before, Reuters reports,...

Mohsin Khan is still at his job repairing aircraft hydraulics parts although the Singaporean turns 75 in a couple of months. His technical skills are prized by his employer, and as his eyesight deteriorated...

US President Donald Trump has canceled his delegation’s trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, next week due to the partial US government shutdown, Reuters reports, citing a statement released by Press...